By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. Similar to other Canadian Provinces, the number of euthanasia deaths in Alberta increased substantially in 2019. An article by Jason Herring published in the Calgary Herald on January 12, reports there were 377 assisted deaths in 2019 in Alberta, up from 307 in 2018, and 206 in …
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By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition A Massachusetts Superior Court has concluded that assisted suicide “is not authorized under Massachusetts law.” The decision was handed down last Friday. In its 24-page decision, the Massachusetts court explained why the Commonwealth prohibition on MAID [Medical Assistance in Dying] meets the rational basis for both due …
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By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The Delta Hospice Society in BC was recently told by Adrian Dix, the BC Minister of Health, that they must start doing euthanasia by February 3 or lose provincial funding. In response to this dilemma, Dr. Tom Koch, a consulting medical ethicist and gerontologist and author of …
Continue reading "Dr. Tom Koch: Euthanasia is legal in Canada but that doesn’t make it ethical or clinically appropriate"
By Alex Schadenberg Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) USA has an event at the Albany State House on Tuesday January 14, 2020 from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. There will be a press conference at 9 am. New York State is debating the legalization of assisted suicide. Dr Stanley Bukowski, from Amherst NY., wrote the following …
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By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition An article written by Sandor Gyarmati for the Delta Optimist news reported that the British Columbia Minister of Health, Adrian Dix, has ordered the Delta Hospice Society to do euthanasia (Medical Aid in Dying–MAiD) by February 3 or it may lose its provincial funding. On December 2, …
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By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Reuters news reported that a Milan court acquitted Italian assisted suicide activist Marco Cappato in the assisted suicide death of Fabiano Antoniani (a music producer known as DJ Fabo) in February 2017. This decision is sad but not surprising. According to ANSA news, “The case returned to …
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Overwhelming opposition voiced by more than 5,000 physicians By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Last week, Medpage Today posted an “Ethics Consult” under the headline, “Euthanize Resistant Dementia Patient?—You Make the Call” More than 5,100 physicians responded. The consult was based on the euthanasia death of a 67-yeaar-old Dutch woman who requested euthanasia …
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By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition In February 2018, the Board of the Delta BC Hospice was given an Edict from Fraser Health to provide euthanasia (MAiD). At that time, the Board of the Delta Hospice decided not to do euthanasia and continued its good work. Recently, the newly elected Board of the …
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By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director – Euthanasia Prevention Coalition On December 2, I reported that the Board of the Delta BC Hospice Society that operates the Irene Thomas Hospice in Ladner BC, renewed its position opposing euthanasia (MAiD) while supporting excellent care. The Board stated that: MAiD is not compatible with the Delta Hospice Society …
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By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Last week I had the opportunity to screen the Fatal Flaws film and speak in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Campbell River British Columbia. Thank you to the local organizers who made this possible. This article is about three stories from the three events at which I spoke. The …
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By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition “Nurses are conflicted with assisted deaths” UBC Okanagan nursing professor and Canada Research chair in health, ethics and diversity, Barb Pesut, was interviewed by Daniel Taylor for the Lake Country Calendar. In her interview Pesut comments on the moral challenges faced by nurses with euthanasia. She states: …
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By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Last September, a Quebec court expanded Canada’s euthanasia law by striking down the “terminal illness” requirement in the law. As the Canadian Press reported at the time, “A judge today found the ‘reasonably foreseeable natural death’ requirement of the Criminal Code, which prevents some people from accessing …
Continue reading "Québec government begins consultation on expanding euthanasia for Alzheimer’s"